Sedimentation device



y 1951- R. CHELMI'NSKI EI'AL 2,553,958

SEDIMENTATION DEVICE Original Filed March 26, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet l N 04 Z a m 0 y 22, 1951 R. CHELMINSKI ETAL 2,553,958

SEDIMENTATION DEVICE Original Filed March 26, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 By 0571/. Y K ////VE SEDIMENTATION DEVICE Original Filed March 26, 1945 7 Sheejzs-Sheet 5 /& N% wxm O Qh o 1 u TE UKH N In N E R 0 E HANK O \W v T Q W Y fi 5 w WWW Wm Q\ Ma 0 Wm May 22, 1951 R. CHELMINSKI ETAL 2,553,953

' SEDIMENTATION DEVICE Original Filed March 26, 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 R. (0.1752 13 .544 y K H/NEIS TORNEY 7 May 22, 1951 R. CHELMINSKI ETAL SEDIMENTATION DEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed March 26, 1945 -j I I INVENTORj a /E., in i W0 W1 M 70 a n H A 6 A N; 4 0 M0 E the tank are not relieved by this means.

Fatented May 22, 1951 SEDIMENTATION DEVICE Roman Chelminski, Wilton, 001111., and Otto R.

Kuster, Larchmont, and DealyK; Hines, Oceanside, N. 'Y., 'assignors to General American Transportation Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a

corporation of New York Continuation of application Serial No. 584,974, March 26, 1945. This application April 14, 1945,

Serial No. 588,278

20 Claims. i

This invention relates to apparatus of the type .in which slowly movingarms carry rakes, e. g., scraper blades or toothed rakes or chains-etc,

over the bottom of a settling tank. Mechanism of this type isused in the thiclreners orclarifiers of sewage disposal plants, in-hydroclassifiers or hydroseparators, inconcentrators, in treatment of industrial a-ndmetallurgi-cal wastes, in slurry mixing tanks and other similar devices.

A general object of the invention is to improve the means for relieving overloads which may occurin apparatus of the aforementioned'type, as a result of an accumulation of solids in the bottom of a tank over which the rakes are moved. Another objectof the invention is to attain more eflic-ient thickening, and to deliver continuously an underflow having a percentage-oi solids near the maximum which the apparatus is designed to handle,notwithstanding irregularities in composition of the influent, surges, and other conditions tending to irregular settling. Another obiect is to make more efficient use of lighter structural parts. A further object is to-avoid stop pages and shutdowns of such apparatus. Still another object is to make such apparatus with al1--parts accessible for inspection'and servicing.

"The-invention achieves these objects primarily by providing special means for vertically adjusting the rakes or scraper blades of apparatus dur lug-continued operation. It has been suggested,

and in fact has become customary, prior to my invention to provide means for raising the sediment collecting arms in sedimentation apparatus of-the type-mentioned above. Ingeneral, this 'hasbeen done by adjusting the scrapers or rakes upward and downward on the turntable or rotating connections. Such adjustments are ordinarily effected by hand or motor operated screws or by cams operated by reaction to excessive loads.

None of these prior means, however; have been completely successful. In another type of apparatus heretofore devised the arms have been hinged to provide for the lifting thereof but since the hinging has been near the center of the spider-like structure the amount of lift atthe center has been negligible and consequentlythe more commonly occurring overloads which result from accumulation of solids near the center of The type of apparatus which lifts a scraper-carrying ing the rakes) the more impossible it becomes to effect the lifting. If the mechanism is stopped so astorelieve it of its load, the rapidly accumuling solids may get so far beyond the capacity of the scraper that, even with the blades lifted, op-

eration cannot be renewed until the plant has been shut down and-the accumulation dug out with pick and shovel. With the type which uses a cam for both driving connection and supportso that increased torque causes the scraper assembly to ride up on the cam and lift the Whole assembly, return to normal position cannot occur when the overload is relieved, but only when the loading drops far enough below normal so'that gravity acting on the cam can cause rotational acceleration of the frame. This obviously cannot occur when the machine-is under normal load; and what actually does occur in normal operation is that the blades move up a little under the first overload, move a little farther under each greater overload until the end of the cam slot is reached and then operation continues with raised scrapers as though no slot had been provided.

The present invention aims to eliminate the difficulties encountered with the prior art overload relief devices and to insure both positive relief and certain gradual return of the rakes to operative positions so that excessive sedimentation is allowed to accumulate under the rakes during conditions of excessive overload and is then gradually scraped up, together with the lighter accumulations of currently settling sludge during intervening periods. To this end means are provided for directly and positively lifting the rakes, such lifting being limited both in extent and duration to that required to meet the overload.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of means to eflectthe raising and lowering of the bladeor rake-carrying arms by a vertical movement which is independent of the rotation of the arms.

Other objects, important features and advantages of the present invention to which reference that these are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention, but on the contrary are given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify and adapt it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view, with a portion at the left-hand side broken away, of a sedimentation apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken on line 22 of Figure 1 with the upper part and the lateral portions broken away;

Figure 3 is a view, partly in vertical section partly in elevation, taken on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view partly in section of the central portion of Figure 1, with the superstructure removed to disclose the top of the pier and the driving mechanism;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, detailed view in vertical section of the rotatable supporting structure for the rotatable scraper frame;

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram of the automatic elevator control and alarm device;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view corresponding to the upper portion of Figure 2, but showing a different driving connection;

Figure 8 is a view partly in section and partly in plan taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7 Figure 9 is a view in enlarged axial section of the drive mechanism shown centrally in Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on line l3|@ of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 1G; and

Figure 12 is a vertical section of the portion shown in Figure 11 taken on line [2-42 of Figure 10.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention the blade lifting mechanism is shown as incorporated in sedimentation apparatus comprising a circular tank which may be of reinforced concrete or other suitable material and which comprises an annular side or rim portion 2 carrying on its inner face an overflow launder i. A gradually sloping bottom portion 5 empties into a discharge trench ii formed, as shown, between the more sharply inclined part Id of the bottom and a conical outward flare IE on the central pier I4, on which is carried the operating mechanism for the arms hereinafter to be described and also for the center end of a bridge carrying a walkway and feed launder. The pier i4 also has, below the flare 12, a cylindrical bottom portion 16 extending into a concrete pit It in which various connections to the discharge lines may be located. The concrete pit it may be formed integral with the tank.

The pier M, which may be either a hollow steel column or of reinforced concrete construction and which extends above the level of the liquid in the tank, has attached to its upper margin an annular reinforcing member 28 on which is supported the stationary body 22 for a speed reducing gear. This reduction gear comprises a pinion 24 driven from the vertical shaft of an electric motor 28, the pinion 24 engaging gears 2&- to which are attached pinions 30, in turn respectively engaging gears 34 each having attached thereto a pinion 38 engaging the internal teeth on a driving spider 42. Such rotation and also a limited eccentric adjustment of the 4 spider 42, by which the driving force is equally distributed among arms 48, is accommodated within the housing 22 with appropriate bearing 45.

The motor 26 is not fixed on the body 22 but is loosely held thereon by the interfitting flanges SI, 32. These flanges fit closely on the sides parallel to the common tangents to the pitch circles of gears 24 and 28, but have clearance (shown exaggerated in Figure 4) on the other sides. The torque reaction of the motor is taken by interengaging sides of the flanges 3| and 32, but the clearance on the other sides leaves the motor free for such limited lateral movement as will allow the pinion 24 to find an equilibrium position by rolling on one or the other of gears 28 and thus to equalize the driving torque applied through the parallel gear trains.

The spider 42 has, either attached thereto or preferably formed integrally therewith, arms or spokes 46 which engage, in all positions thereof, arms 48 carried by, and extending upwardly upon, the vertically adjustable scraper frame 52 which also includes the scraper or rake carrying arms, hereinafter to be described.

As will be apparent, it is not critical which of the rotary parts (i. e., the ring gear 42 and the frame 52) carries the vertical arms and which carries the arms 46, rollers I50, or other means for shiftable engagement; and it will likewise be apparent from what follows that it is not critical which of the supported and supporting members carries the circular track 60 and which the rollers or other bearing members 58.

As shown stub shafts 54 and 55 are appropriately secured on the frame 52; and flanged rollers or wheels 58 and 59 are rotatably mounted on these shafts to roll on the annular track 50 and beneath the flange 6|, respectively. A second roller 59 is mounted beneath each roller 58 and beneath the flange on the frame 62 for the purpose of preventing the scraper assembly from lifting away from the track til or vice versa on lowering of the elevator, to prevent the track 60 from dropping away from the roller 58.

According to the present invention, the weight of the rotatable scraper frame and the parts carried thereby is carried on a bearing having a horizontal plane of rotation so that substantially no torque load is transmitted through it, and the torque reaction is carried separately through the members above referred to, which have vertical sliding faces and thus do not carry the weight of the rotatable frame. Elevator means is interposed in series with said horizontal bearing between the ultimate support points (on the rotatable frame and on the floor of the tank), in the embodiment shown. Such elevator means serves readily to adjust the rotational level of the rotatable frame while supporting it on its proper axis regardless of applied torque, because it is not required to resist and is not substantially affected by such torque. Such freedom from torque, as well as the requisite uniformity of lift to maintain the proper vertical axis in the rotatable frame is best attained by use of an hydraulic elevator positioned coaxial with the axis of rotation.

As shown the track 60 is supported through a frame 62, 68, 16 on an hydraulic jack or elevator 12, 14. This frame includes horizontal I beams 63 which extend through slots 64 in the pier [4, to the track 60 which they support. The beams 63 are riveted as shown or welded to and supported by the vertical frame members 68,

e. g., channel bars, 'andthese in turn are secured to and supported by a cross-head composed of horizontal beams radiating from the center of the piston rod I2 of the hydraulic lack or elevator. The cylinder T4 of the hydraulic jack is mounted and secured on the bottom of the well I8 within the portion It of pier I4. The steel cylinder, of which the pier I4 is shown as formed in Figure 2 of the drawings, is preferably provided with annular reinforcing members 66 at the bottoms of the slots 64, and angularly spaced Vertical reinforcing ribs '65, e. -g., channel bars, which carry bearing pads '61 to guide the jack or elevator structure in its vertical movement.

The piston 78 is positively raised and lowered by pressure fluid introduced into the cylinder 14 below the piston 18 by means of a pipe 80 connected to a pump 82 operated by an electric motor 84. The pump 8:? receives its supply of oil or other suitable fluid from the storage tank 86. Any oil in the cylinder I4- above the piston l8 may be returned to this tank 86 through pipe 88. When the device is to be lowered, gravity may be relied upon, controlled by flow through a restricted passagein this case the solenoid operated three-way valve 89, by which either the pump 82 or the reservoir 86 may be connected with the pressure line Bil-or the flow in pipes iii), 88 can be reversed by suitable valves.

The arms 8% which carry the scraper blades or rakes are shown as of skeleton steel construction and are suitably connected by other frame members 94, 96 and 98, to form the scraper frame Attached to the inner face of the frame 52 are spring bumpers I02 serving to maintain the frame 52 centered with respect to the pier I4. It will be seen from the foregoing description that the scraper assembly 52 is suspended,

through the track 60 from the hydraulic jack I2, i8, and can therefore be raised and lowered to lift the rake arms 99 away from or to lower them again close to, or into any desired operative relation to, the bottom of the tank.

Any suitable rake or scraper mechanism may be carried by the arms 9!), for the usual purpose of gradually moving the settled solids from the peripheral portion of the tank down the incline to the discharge trench 8.

As shown more fully in Figure 2, a series of rake or scraper blades I04 are so inclined to the arms 5 3 with respect to the direction of rotation that each blade I fi l serves to move the solids engaged thereby toward the center of the tank and into the path of the next blade toward the center upon the following arm 95. Since the arms move slowly there is substantially no turbulence; and settling continues in the interval between passage of the scraper blades. If desired, these blades, instead of all being straight, may as shown in Figures 1 and 4, be slightly curved as shown at 535 to increase the centripetal action thereof; or they may be part straight and part curved.

As shown in Figure 1, a skeleton steel truss 596, supported at its outer end upon the rim or side wall 2 of the tank and at its inner end upon the pier Id, carries a walkway, for an operator to service and/ or inspect the sedimentation apparatus, and the feed launder I08, through which the slurry or pulp is delivered to the tank for treatment. As shown, there is also supported from this truss an annular distributor trough I I0 having a perforated bottom I I2. This feed trough surrounding the drum I4 and the frame 6 52 is in effect an extension of the launder I08 serving to deliver the slurry or pulp quietly into the central area of the tank.

In the discharge trench 3 the arms 95 carry specially shaped scraper blades H4 which serve to move the solids in the trench 3 into position to be drawn on through the branched discharge pipes [It into a common discharge line H8. A water jet ejector I20 located in a sump I22 in the bottom of the pit I 8 serves to remove through the pipe I24 any water or solution which may accumulate at the bottom of the center pier.

In Figure 6 is shown diagrammatically the apparatus by which the operation of the device is controlled. A wattmeter I32 in the circuit of the main driving motor 26 indicates the power consumption. When an overload is encountered the power consumption rises and is indicated on the wattrneter; when the power has reached e. g., about of the permissible maximum, relay I33 responsive to such overload closes the circuit of the pump motor e.g. through. a standard starter I35, and opens it again only when the power consumption has dropped substantially, e. g., when it has returned to about 70% overload or even to normal. A standard push button starter switch I35 may be provided for manual control.

A second relay I36 also responsive to the main motor power consumption closes the circuit of an alarm I38 through a time delay switch i331, which as shown consists of a resistance heater coil and a bimetallic snap switch enclosed in common insulation so that the switch is heated during a short alarm period, e. g. 15 to 30 seconds and then cools slowly, e. g. over 5 to 10 minutes. A third relay ass (shown diagrammatical- 1y as an overload circuit-breaker) opens the circuit of the main driving motor 28 in response to an overload which would be dangerous if continued.

Manually operated switches M8, ltd and It! may be provided, if desired, to control independently the operation of the main motor the pump motor 8d and the solenoid valve 89.

Further advantage can be secured in many cases by interconnecting a speed control for the motor 2'6 with the elevator, so that when the elevator is raised the rate of rotation is at the same time increased and thus a heavier feed of suspended solids can be taken care of without clogging the apparatus.

Instead of the solenoid valve 39 as shown, a fixed orifice may be provided to bleed oil past the piston at such a rate that the elevator returns from its uppermost position. in a period of several revolutions of the scraper ass mbly, the capacity of pump S2 of course being sufficiently greater than the rate of bleeding so the scraper assembly can be fully elevated during a fraction of its revolution period, e. a rate of about one foot in LL15- ininutes. Or such bleeding, if it is desired to have a slower return, may be brought about by leakage past the piston within the cylinder is.

In the operation of the device, the motor 23 operates through the gear train hereinabove described to drive the spider 62. When the spokes 48, of the spider 42, engage the vertically movable arms 48 on the scraper assembly 52, the latter is rotated on the rollers 58 running on the track 56 and the scraper 52 will thus be caused to turn, the rakes or blades iii-4, IE5, and H4 being moved by arms 5% so as to gather thesettled solids toward and into the central trough 8 from which they are pumped out as a concentrated slurry through pipes H6 and IIS.

When the rake blades I64 and I85 encounter an overload of sedimented material on the bottom of the tank, or when it is desired that the arms and the rake blades supported thereby be raised for any other reason the rotary pump 82 is set in motion to drive oil into the cylinder 4 below the piston I8, thereby causing the piston "I8 to rise and through the piston 12 to lift the track 60 and the scraper assembly 52.

If a heavy concentration of solids is temporarily fed to the apparatus, there will soon accumulate in the bottom a layer of concentrated sludge too heavy to be moved by normal operation of the scraper. As this occurs, the power consumption of the motor is increased and relay I33 operates to energize the motor 84 and to close the solenoid valve 89; and thus, by operating pump 82 to raise the hydraulic elevator and with it the scraper assembly 52. As this occurs the blades Hi4, IEiii are lifted out of the heaviest concentration of solids until they reach a height where only normal power is required to operate. At that point the relay I33 operates to cut off the motor 84 and open valve 89 by de-energizing its solenoid; whereupon the assembly 52 begins slowly to drop back. If the abnormal concentration is brief the device may be able to scrape up the accumulated excess as it gradually drops back to normal; but if the high concentration continues the device may again reach a condition of overload such as will operate the relay and again be lifted clear. This will be repeated as often as necessary until the accumulated solids on the bottom have been scraped up and carried off in the discharge.

It will be apparent that the effect of this is not only to avoid stoppage and damage by reason of surges of high solids concentrations, but also to avoid handling excess water and to maintain near maximum solids concentration in the discharge. After a surge of high solids concentration a substantial layer of settled solids is left stored in the bottom of the tank. When this is followed by an abnormally low solids concentration the elevator, which is constantly seeking to lower the scrapers into the accumulation of solids, can do so without overload; and so gradually the excess solids are fed oif at a time when the discharge would otherwise be excessively lean. Thus surges are smoothed out and a regular flow of uniform product delivered for subsequent operations.

The elevator frame 68 slides in its vertical movement on the bearing pads G'I which keep the elevator frame from clashing with the frame of pier I4. If desired pier I4 may be made of heavier sheet metal and the reinforcing members 65 omitted, in which case bearing pads 6'! can also be omitted.

It will be noted that an important feature of the invention is the provision for the support of the scraper assembly 52 on a bearing apart from the driving gearing.

The arrangement as shown provides for ready access to the interior of the pier I4 and to all parts of the elevator or jack structure. Entry is had through a manhole I36 at the side of the reduction gear body 22; and from this one can climb down through the open framework of the elevator into the pit I8. The invention is, of course, not limited to the underground location of the sludge removal pipe.

In Figures 7 to 12, inclusive, is shown a modi- 'fied structure embodying the invention. In this case a sheet metal drum 52a is used; and, in lieu of the upright extension 48, the drum itself is extended and vertical slots are provided with U- shaped bearing rails 4804 on which the anti-friction rollers I55 travel, these rollers being rotatably mounted on stud-shafts I5! on the rotating ring I52.

The rollers 58 and 59 are appropriately secured to the drum 52a as shown in Figure 7 and carry the weight of the rotating scraper on the elevator track 60, exactly as in the embodiment described in connection with Figures 1 to 6.

The elevator structure itself and the center pier may be identical with that shown and described above; but, instead of the frame 22 and drive mechanism therein contained as described in connection with Figure 2, there is shown here, and more particularly in Figure 9, a modified frame 22a. carrying two trains of drive gears between the central equalizing gears to be described below and the annular gear 32a.

In order to insure a substantially equal division of the load between the two gear trains I54-28a3fla38a, the motor shaft 558 is connected to these gears through a differential comprising a central spider IEO keyed on shaft IGI having rotatably secured thereon, a plurality of bevel pinion gears I52 and bevel gears I63 and Iii rotatable on the shaft IBI and intermeshing with gears I62. A drive gear IE6 is connected to the gear I83 and this gear IE5, in turn, meshes with the intermediate gear I56 to drive the gear train on the right-hand side of Figure 9. The

' lower gear I64 of the differential is keyed directly to a drive gear I68 which likewise drives the gear I55 and through it the gear train on the left-hand side of this figure.

Secondary frame members I10, I72 and I'M are fitted over the top and openings of the frame 22a and provide both an enclosure and support for this gearing as clearly shown in the drawings. The bottom portion only of a vertical driving motor 28 is shown in Figure 9.

Instead of a single spider 42 as used in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, a composite spider is used in this case made up of three rings 42a, I16 and I52, as shown in Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12. Lower ring 42a, having a ring gear on its inner face, carries a roller I and a rocker arm I82 on a post I84 at each of two diametrically opposite positions. Between each rocker I 32 and roller I80 is engaged a lug I86 projecting from the intermediate ring I76.

The roller I80 and the rocker I82 are received in a recess I88 formed in the ring gear 42a and other recesses I98 are formed at angularly spaced positions about the circumference of the ring into which bearing posts I92 are passed which extend from the intermediate ring I16. Each of the recesses I88 and ISO may be filled with oil so that the operation of these several parts are adequately lubricated over long periods of time.

The intermediate ring I15, shown in section in Figure 9 and a fragment thereof shown in plan at the left-hand side of Figure 10, has formed on the bottom thereof the bearing posts I92 and the driving lugs I and, on its top, the posts I98 and I99, corresponding to posts MI and I84 of the ring 42a, similarly provided with rockers I82 and rollers I88 at positions removed from the lugs I86. Between these rollers and rockers are received driving lugs 288 integrally formed on the bottom of the uppermost driving ring I52. Recesses 202 and 204 are provided in the upper face of the intermediate ring I16 corresponding to the recesses I88 and IHIlinthe ring 4 2a and serving the same purpose of maintaining a bath of lubricant. Bearing posts. 206 extending from the bottom of ring I52 rest onthe bottoms of recesses 2M thus providing a vertical thrust bearing in the same manner as posts I92 on bottom of recesses set. Bearing plates I93 and 2&5 of bronze or other bearing metals suitably polished may be fitted in the bottom of recesses I99 and 28 respectively to provide a smooth, level bearing surface for lateral sliding of posts 92 and 266.

An apron 2st depending from ring i 52' and felt gaskets at the periphery of frame 22 a, on the lower periphery of ring 42a and on the upper periphery of ring I52 complete the closure of the housing for the drive member against dust, spray, etc.

In the operation of this drive, the torque applied from the drive shaft I53 is divided. equally by the differential and applied through the opposite gear trains to opposite points of the gear ring 420.. The driving torque is transmitted through the posts IIM'and the makers I82 at the two diametrically opposite positions to the lugs I36 on the intermediate ring I15. Thus the intermediate ring is rotated and in turn transmits the torque through the post I98 and rockers I82 to the lugs 2% on the driving ring I52" and the latter transmits the driving torque through the studshafts lEiI and the rollers I50 to-the drum 52a.

Posts I8I and I99 with their rollers I 80- are positioned to hold the lugs I86 and 200: respectively against the rockers I82 without play, so as to avoid overrunning and impact which might overload the driving connections.

It will be observed that the'lugs I86 lie at opposite ends of one diameter and the lugs 285) at opposite ends of the perpendicular diameter, andthat the rockers I 82 and rollers I80 are designed to allow movements of these lugs along, but not away from, their respective diameters. Thus any eccentricity between drum 52a and the proper path of the ring gear 42a is freely accommodated in the same manner in which eccentricity between bearings of the shaft maybe accommodated by the familiar Oldham couplings, and without objectionable stresses on the part concerned. ,Since any such eccentricity will require constant readjustment of the relative relations of the three rings 42a, I15 and 552 during rotation, it is important to have good andadequately lubricated thrust bearing surfaces. This function is provided by the bearing posts I92 and 2116 and the wells I55] and 2M each provided with a polished bearing plate IE3 or 265 in its bottom and filled with an appropriate lubricant.

This structure just described also takes up minor inaccuracies of dimensions to distribute the load between the bearing rolls I50. Thus assuming a condition in which the axis of the lefthand roll is slightly behind a true diameter, it would engage the drum 52o first and tend to transmit the entire drive. In case of a heavy load, however, there would be a slight yielding in the drum, tending to push its edge outward from its true circular position. Thus the lug I86 at the bottom of Figure 10 would move ahead of lug 83 at the top and the ring I52 thus moved to advance wheel I553 at the right of this figureinto driving contact with drum 52a. This will of course result in a transverse movement of the ring I'Ee vertically on Figure 10, but this is ac-. commodated by the rockers I82,

As shown in Figure 10, each of the rockers I82 is provided with a spring 2H] secured to a lug 212 on the rocker. The action of spring are is restricted between pins 2 I also secured on the rocker and pins 2I6 which are secured in lug I86 or 260 above the rocker on the next ring above. Thus, the spring m can always restore the rocker to a mid-position with respect to the mid-point of the driving lug we or 2% whenever it is relieved of'load and thus resists any tendency to work over against one side or the other.

It should be noticed that the section of Figure 10 is taken at a higher level at the left than at the right of this figure, as indicated by line ill-I0 on Figure 9, and that the section of the rings 42a, I76 and liizand the drum 52a is taken at the upper branch of line 99" on Figure 10, whereas the other parts shown on Figure 9 are sectional along the lower branch of line 99.

It will be noticed also that, for greater clarity of showing, the section at the upper portion of Figure 10 is taken at a somewhat higher level than the section at the lower portion of this figure, the former passing through the portion of lug I86 which carries the pins 2I6 (as indicated also by line II-I'I of Figure 1.2), whereas at the bottom of FigurelO the pins 2 It are shown in section below the level of the part in which they are anchored.

This application is a continuation of our prior copending application, Serial No. 584,974, filed March 26, 1945, now abandoned.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus for the purposes set forth, the combination which comprises a tank having openings for feeding thereto liquid suspensions to be treated and for removing sludge and a separated liquid, respectively;. a frame within said tank rotatable about a vertical axis and carrying at its bottom rakes moved over the bottom of the tank by the rotation of the frame, a central support for said frame on which it is rotatably mounted, means for lifting said support to move the rakes to various spaced relations to the bottom of the tank while maintaining rotataloility of the frame, a driving motor and torque transmission connection, one of which is anchored with respect to the tank and the other is fixed to" said rotatable frame, said torque transmission connection having angularly spaced bearing members and cooperating bearing members similarly spaced connected to said lifting means to be lifted and to fall with said frame, said bearing members being provided with smooth bearing faces which bear against each other in torquetransmitting pairs at least one of said bearing faces of each pair being vertical, whereby lifting and fall of said frame may be effected by said lifting means while maintaining the transmission of torque from the motor for rotating the frame and without acceleration or deceleration of rotation due to said lifting and fall.

2. Apparatus according to claim I in which the lifting means comprises a hydraulic cylinder and piston and hydraulic pressure and release means which actuate said hydraulic piston to efiect the bodily lifting and lowering of said frame.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which a hollow housing fixed in the tank encloses the lifting means from the liquid contents of the tank and is also provided with vertical slide bearings for holding saidlifting means to a vertical' axis.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which paired vertically slidable bearing faces are on a fixed central frame and the central support, respectively, whereby said support and its lifting means are braced against rotational forces.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the central support comprises a hollow central housing enclosing the lifting means and in which the torque transmitting connection for effecting the rotation of said rotatable frame is supported on said housing, and said bearing members through which the driving torque is transmitted are radially beyond the housing.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the central support and the frame are provided one with an annular track and the other with wheels operating thereon, said frame being rotatably suspended on said track and wheels.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the central support for said frame comprises an annular track and the frame is provided with wheels operating thereon by which said frame is rotatably suspended from said track andin which the means for bodily lifting said frame comprises a hydraulic jack on which said annular track is supported.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which a fixed central abutment and the lifting means are provided with paired cooperating bearings at least one of each pair being parallel to the axis of rotation for confining said lifting means to movements along an axis parallel to said axis of rotation of the frame during the raising and lowering operation.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which a hollow central housing encloses the lifting means and in which the central support for said frame comprises an annular track concentric with the axis of rotation of said frame and surrounding said housing, said lifting means comprising a hydraulic jack within said housing and a supporting frame having a portion slidably fitted within and guided by said housing and having arms extending through and slidably fitted in vertical slots in said housing and supporting said track, said slots being entirely above the liquid level in the tank.

10. In a sedimentation apparatus having a tank with openings for feeding thereto liquid suspensions to be treated and for removing sludge and a separated liquid, respectively, rakes for moving sludge across the bottom of the tank toward said sludge removal opening, a frame carrying said rakes at its bottom and horizontally rotatable about a vertical axis to move said rakes around the bottom of the tank, and axially movable to vary the distance of the rakes from the bottom and thereby the thickness of any sludge residue left by the rakes, means for rotating the frame, a hollow longitudinally slotted housing within said tank, elevator means within said housing having arms extending through said slots, bearing means and a circular track, one secured on said arms and the other on said frame and together adapted rotatably to support the frame.

11. A sedimentation apparatus as defined in claim in which the bearing means comprises angularly spaced wheels pivoted on radial axes and adapted to run on the circular track.

12. A sediment raking apparatus for use in a sedimentation tank having conduits for feeding thereto liquid suspension to be treated and an opening at the bottom for removing sludge and an overflow weir, said overflow weir regulatin the liquid level in the tank during operat which comprises a housing vertically slotted above the liquid level of the tank; elevator means mounted within said housing provided with arms extending through said slots in the housing; a rotatable frame rotatabl supported on said arms and having outwardly extending members carry ing raking means near the bottom of the tank, and having frame members upstanding beside said housing provided with vertical bearing faces adapted to transmit the force required for rotation of the frame; bearing means for said rotatable frame on said elevator arms comprising an annular track on one thereof and cooperating bearing means on the other movable along said track; a motor, and means for transmitting driving force to said frame for rotation thereof comprising driving members movably engaging said bearing faces of the frame members.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 in which the drive transmitting means comprises a gear case fixed on the top of said housing, a gear train pivotally mounted within said case, a spider rotatably supported from said case having in ternal gear teeth meshing with said gear train and outwardly extending members of said spider being said driving members and having their bearing faces movabl engaging said vertical bearing faces on said frame members.

14. A sediment raking apparatus for use in a sedimentation tank which comprises a rotatable frame having frame members extending outwardly and carrying raking means to sweep across the bottom of the tank upon rotation of the frame and having at least one torque transmitting member with a smooth sliding surface of suflicient length parallel to the axis of rotation to accommodate the vertical adjustment of said frame and at a radial distance from said axis suflicient that the pressure thereagainst required to drive said frame against a permissible overload is sufficiently low to permit the sliding of said surface required for elevation of the frame to relieve the overload and the return of the frame from such elevated position by gravity while the frame is being driven under normal load; means for driving said frame mounted on a fixed sup-' port adapted to resist the torque reaction of the driving means and having at least one smooth face adapted to engage against said sliding face on said torque transmitting member with area sufiicient to keep the driving pressure below that which would prevent said sliding between the pusher face and the torque-transmitting member; elevator means mounted on a fixed anchorage and adapted to support said frame rotatably from said anchorage and to adjust the height of said frame relative to said anchorage, and rotary bearing means in said support between said anchorage and said frame allowing free rotation of the frame while carried on said elevator means.

15. A sediment raking apparatus for a sedimentation tank of the type having a rotatable frame mounted through a horizontal rotational bearing and provided with outwardly extending arms carrying raking means to sweep the bottom of the tank upon rotation of the frame, and means for rotating said frame, which apparatus is characterized by an elevator through which the bearing is supported and by which it is moved vertically to raise and lower said frame to control the thickness of any residual sludge left by the scraper on the bottom of the tank, and a driving connection in said means for rotating the frame, said connection being vertically slidable to ac- 13 commodate raising and lowering of said frame while said driving means is operating to effect rotation of the frame.

16. An apparatus as characterized in claim 15 which is further characterized in that the driving connection is provided with a plurality of the vertically slidable connections at a substantial radius from the axis of rotation greater than the radius of the rotational bearing and spaced circumferentially about the axis of rotation and is adapted to distribute the driving force among said slidably engaged surfaces.

17. An apparatus as characterized in claim 15 which is further characterized in that the elevator comprises a fluid pressure cylinder and piston provided with a by-pass adapted to allow bleeding of pressure fluid so that when the supply of fluid under pressure is cut off the elevator slowly drops the bearing until the rotatable frame is in its lowermost position.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the lifting means includes a lifting motor and a variable-slip transmission connection between said motor and the central support, and an automatic adjustment responsive to the power consumption of said driving motor to vary the slip of said connection to apply effective lifting force when a substantial overload occurs and to re lease said force when the load returns approximately to normal.

19. A sediment raking apparatus for a sedimentation tank of the type having vertically adjustable rotating raking means carried on a rotational bearing for rotation about a vertical axis, a motor and means for transmitting force from the motor to the raking means for driving it in its rotation, which apparatus is characterized by means for raising and lowering adapted to exert on the scraper a direct and gradually releasable force to effect vertical adjustment of the scraper, and means responsive to a substantial overload on said motor for controlling said raising and lowering means to lift the scraper and responsive to a return approximately to normal load to efiect the gradual release of said scraper.

20. A sediment raking apparatus as defined in claim 19 in which the means for lifting the scraper is a hydraulic jack, the rotational bearing is carried on said hydraulic jack, the motor is an electric motor, the means responsive to overload is a relay in said motor circuit operating in one direction in response to substantial overload and in the other by return approximately to normal load and electric means controlled by said relay for supplying Iiuid under pressure to the hydraulic jack, and the means to effect gradual release is an orifice through which said fluid under pressure can escape from the pressure chamber of the hydraulic jack.

ROMAN CHELMINSKI.

OTTO R. KUSTER.

DEALY K. HINES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 867,958 Dorr Oct. 15, 1907 1,182,514 Vandercook May 9, 1916 1,734,044 Orr Nov. 5, 1929 1,962,646 Logue June 12, 1934 1,995,559 Andrews Mar. 26, 1935 2,036,399 Humphreys et al. Apr. 7, 1936 2,126,834 Hardinge Aug. 16, 1938 2,226,974 Hardinge Dec. 31, 1940 2,265,046 Sabin Dec. 2, 1941 2,286,397 Weiss et a1 June 16, 1942 2,291,836 Scott Aug. 4, 1942 2,295,943 Finney Sept. 15, 1942 2,360,817 Scott Oct. 17, 1944 2,368,703 Bousman Feb. 27, 1945 2,370,120 Bousman Feb. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 459,120 Great Britain Dec. 28, 1936 

